Throwback Thursday: Dr. Dre ft. Snoop Dogg “Nothin’ but a G Thang” (Video)

It's hard to understate how revolutionary "Nothin but a G Thang" was when it dropped. Not only had America never heard rap like this before, but outside of L.A. no one had ever seen cars on three wheels or shots of the Compton streets. In retrospect, this was the video that truly put Snoop, Dre and the whole gangster rap movement on the radar of mainstream America. But enough talk, let's get to the G-oscity.

Side note: You're getting a shot of an essentially naked girl in the beginning of this video because the official version on YouTube was such shitty quality. I doubt anyone will mind.



The Refined Take:

1) When I first watched this video this morning I almost did a spit take: holy sh**t Dre and Snoop look young! Snoop always looks just a little but like a teenager, but seeing a young Dre really bugged me out. The man/boy doesn't even look like he had to shave here. Craziness.

2) I love how this was this era in hip-hop when it was totally accepted that you could live with your parents and be "gangster". You'll never see a gangster rapper include his mom cussing him out in a video nowadays, no way. Also, if you don't see the beginning of this video, especially when Snoop's first getting out of bed, and immediately think of the beginning of the "It Was a Good Day" video, you're obviously not paying attention.

3) I'm not trying to get on some "She was asking for it, look how she was dressed" type nonsense, but if you're playing volleyball at a picnic like this wearing a bikini you've got to expect some shenanigans to go down. I'm not saying she should have been wearing a burqa, I'm just saying a shirt would have gone a long way.

4) On a similar tip, growing up I don't think I ever really understood why the chick int he black dress gets beer poured all over her, but now that I'm an adult (allegedly) I realize it's because she's acting stuck up. Ah, the things you learn as you get older.

5) Not only is this video dope, but the lyrics are absolutely classic. "Nothin but a G Thang" is one of those songs I can rap straight through: the second you hear "One, two, three and to the four, Snoop Doggy Dogg and Dr. Dre..." it's on.